HK GOLFER NOVEMBER 2019
MOTIN YEUNG TRIUMPHS / PAN AT HIS BEST / THOMAS WINS AT JEJU THE HOLY GRAIL OF HOI AN / GOLF GURU / GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKOR
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LETTER FROM THE HKGA It is a great pleasure to be writing my first letter as the new President of the HKGA. First of all, we are of course very disappointed that due to the ongoing situation in Hong Kong, a number of events have either had to be postponed or cancelled, including the Clearwater Bay Open and the Nomura Cup. However, in positive news, the highly anticipated Hong Kong Open returns to the outstanding surroundings of the Hong Kong Golf Club from November 28 to December 1 for the 61st edition of our city’s longest standing professional sporting event. Fans will get to see a few Major Champions showcasing their skills at Fanling. Henrik Stenson will make his eagerly awaited debut at the event. Francesco Molinari will return for the first time in 10 years as one of the best players in recent years. Patrick Reed will return for the fourth time and has become a local fans’ favourite. They will join Defending Champion Aaron Rai in a star-studded field in the opening event of the European Tour’s 2020 Race to Dubai. The Open will also continue to play a decisive role in shaping the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit as one of the last few remaining events on the Tour schedule. The past month or so has seen National Team members Taichi Kho finishing tied 2nd at the Quail Valley Intercollegiate Invitational and Leon D’Souza also finishing tied 2nd at the Bill Cullum Invitational at Wood Ranch Golf Club in California. Congratulations must also go to Sophie Han on winning the 2019 Poly International Junior Golf Championship in Chongqing in early October. On a final note, the HKGA warmly welcomes Ms. Feng Shan-shan as our Honorary Advisor. Ms. Feng launched her career by taking part in challenging amateur tournaments including a number in Hong Kong, before moving up to compete in international professional tournaments. We hope that her story will inspire more young people to take up golf and we believe that her experience will help more young golfers in advancing their amateur and professional careers. While busy competing on the US LPGA Tour and preparing for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, she will take time out of her busy schedule to participate in a number of HKGA events and meet with our golfers.
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I look forward to seeing you all out there on Hong Kong’s courses. Happy golfing!
KENNETH LAM President, HKGA
CONTENTS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION NOVEMBER 2019
6 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 10 HKGA HAPPENINGS
Co -f o un de d by Th e Ma s ter s Tournament and The R&A, the 11th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) returned for the third time to Mainland China at Sheshan GC, Shanghai. Hong Kong’s top three amateurs, Ben Wong, Leon D’Souza and Terrence Ng participated in this prestigious tournament in late September. 12 THE 852: PROPELLING TO THE PRO RANKS
HK Golfer talks to Terrence Ng, Hong Kong’s leading amateur golfer, about his preparation leading up to the 2019 Hong Kong Open at the end of this month. 14 ASIA ACTION: FLAWLESS SHIN CRUISES IN MACAU 16 GLOBAL GLANCE: TIGER TAKES ZOZO
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18 THE TOUR: PAN EXEMPLIFIES THE BEST
C .T. P a n e n j o y e d a c a r e e r break through 2019 following his maiden PGA Tour victor y. He followed up on his dream by becoming the first Chinese Taipei golfer to qualify for the Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December. Pan, who turns 27 this month, talks about his recent success, his bid to deliver another Chinese Taipei triumph at Royal Melbourne, and why he is giving back to the game through his junior golf programme. 24 ON THE COVER: SWEET TWENTY-SIX
One day after his 26th birthday, Hong Kong’s Motin Yeung fired a final round 67 to secure a narrow one-stroke victory at the Zhuzhou Classic. 30 LIVE UNDER PAR: ALL THAT JAZZ With a first name being a headline writer’s dream and a surname twisting tongues for even for the best of sports announcers, Thai golfer Jazz Janewattananond has become one of the most talked about young and exciting talents to burst onto the golf scene in the past 12 months.
34 INSIDE THE ROPE: WE NEED PERSONALITIES
54 ACCELERATE: A MAGIC CARPET RIDE TO THE PAST Michael Wan visit s this year’s Goodwood Revival, a world famous three-day festival of classic car motor racing and much more. Well over 100,000 people flock from across the globe to attend this annual weekend of festivities.
Huddled together under raincoats and a bobbing sea of umbrellas that did little to protect them from the hash elements at Royal Portrush, the Irish were hoping that one of their own would win The 148th Open.
60 SPOTLIGHT: DR. WALTON LI
36 THE GOLF GURU Expert tips for The Senior Player, The High Handicapper, and The Pro. 42 THE VIEW: THE HOLY GRAIL OF HOI AN
Hoiana Shores GC in Hoi An, Vietnam will most likely be that perfect course for an extensive range of players as it has all the essential qualities that make a course worth the desire to play it over and over again. 48 ADVENTURE: A GRAND NEW LOOK
After six months of renovations and refurbishing, one of Indochina’s most storied grand hotels has unveiled its new look.
64 WATCH IT: A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP Golf has come a long way since its
origins on the windswept dunes of Scotland’s east coast some seven centuries ago. The game is believed to have first been played at St Andrews around 1400 AD, while The Old Course at Musselburgh Links, near Edinburgh, is widely accepted to be one of the oldest in the world. Mary, Queen of Scots, reputedly played the course in 1567, taking a somewhat different stance towards the game than her greatgreat grandfather, King James II, who banned golf in 1457 because the country’s young archers were practising their swing rather than their aim. 72 THE NINETEENTH: #NOTMYPOY
CONTRIBUTORS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION NOVEMBER 2019
Louie Chan
Louie is the Editor of HK Golfer and also writes extensively for the magazine, its website and digital platforms. He continues to work hard to lose the distinction of the golf editor with the worst swing!
Chuah Choo Chiang
Calvin Koh
Calvin heads the press operations and media partnership for the Asian Tour and has over a decade of experience in sports PR and communications.
Jason Kwok
Senior Director of Communications at the PGA Tour, Chuah Choo Chiang is HK Golfer’s storyteller for the PGA Tour events in Asia.
Jason has been a Hong Kong PGA Professional since 1995, an Asian Tour Player, and was the Head Professional at the Discovery Golf Club from 2007 to 2015.
Zachary Fu
David Largent
Zachary Fu recently relocated to Hong Kong following a period of living and working in Shanghai where he established the East Lee photography studio.
David bought his first set of clubs in 2000 and has been in the golf business since then. He set up his own golf distribution company in Hong Kong in 2005 to bring some
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HK GOLFER MAGAZINE is published by the Hong Kong Golf Association Limited and produced by Design Circles Limited. The HKGA was formed in 1968 with a mission to govern, promote and grow golf in Hong Kong. Responsibilities include Hong Kong national teams; junior and elite player development; grassroots initiatives; a centralised handicapping service for 15,000+ subscribers; and the running of international and domestic golfing events in Hong Kong – including more than 30 amateur tournaments each year plus the Hong Kong Open, the city’s oldest professional sporting event. ORDERING FROM ADVERTISERS: Advertisers warrant and represent that the descriptions of the products or services advertised are true in all respects. HK Golfer magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. HK Golfer magazine, its officers, directors, employees or agents make no recommendations as to the purchase or sale of any product, service or item. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of HK Golfer magazine. All content contained within this magazine is the sole property of HK Golfer magazine and may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without authorisation. © Copyright 2019 HK Golfer magazine. All rights reserved.
NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 9
HKGA
HAPPENINGS by Louie Chan / Image: Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
Co-founded by The Masters Tournament and The R&A, the 11th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) returned for the third time to Mainland China at Sheshan GC, Shanghai. Hong Kong’s top three amateurs, Ben Wong, Leon D’Souza and Terrence Ng participated in this prestigious tournament in late September.
T
he A AC has progressed hugely since it was first contested 10 years ago when only a handful of players in the field were within the top-500 on the WAGR. However, going into the 11th edition this year, there were 12 players from the Asia Pacific region in the top-100. The best amateur golfers in the region teed up and competed to earn a place in both the 2020 Masters and the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s. Ben Wong finished as the highest-ranking Hong Kong player at 40th with seven over par. The former U.S. Junior Players Champion made six birdies in the final round to finish with a brilliant one under 71. He scored 68 in the first round to lead the field briefly, however, he struggled in the back nine in both rounds 2 and 3, losing too much ground to his opponents. “Overall, it was a good week for our players, especially for Ben (Wong) and Leon (D’Souza), both of whom are studying in the U.S. They had to fly in from the States to compete and only had two days to prepare. However, this is very common for professional players, so it was a good experience for all three of them, as they look towards turning professional in the 10 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
future,” said Tim Tang, High Performance Manager of the HKGA. “The AAC is the most prestigious event for the best amateurs in the Asia-Pacific region. I am proud of Terrence’s (Ng) performance. This was his last AAC tournament, and he really pushed himself. Even though he was off a bit from the tee and struggled to hit the fairway, he had the mental toughness to eventually make the cut.” Ng finished at 62nd in a total of 308. Leon D’Souza, the youngest local golfer to make the cut at the Hong Kong Open, unfortunately missed the cut after two rounds. “Leon struggled similarly as Terrence. Most of the fairways in Sheshan are pretty narrow and Leon can hit far off the tee with his fast clubhead speed. Once he was off the fairway by 10 to 20 yards, all he could do was to chip out of the thick rough. It’s tough for players to score well on this course if they can’t keep the ball on the fairway,” commented Tang. China’s Lin Yuxin brought immense cheers from his home fans when he birdied the par 5 18th twice in a playoff to beat defending champion and world No.1 Takumi Kanaya to become the second two-time winner of the AAC. It was
Ben Wong finished as the highest-ranking Hong Kong player at the 2019 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
the perfect homecoming for Lin, who earned an invitation to the 2020 Masters Tournament and the 149th Open at Royal St George’s. After shifting his home base to Los Angeles last month where he is now a freshman at the University of Southern California, it was a poignant moment for the 18 year-old Chinese star, who had his father on the bag during the week. Lin started slowly in the final round with a bogey on the par-4 No. 1, but the Beijing native quickly recovered with two consecutive birdies, then unleashed three in a row from the sixth onwards to reach 10 under par at the turn. Kanaya was solid throughout the day and made up for three bogeys with six birdies to keep his title defence alive until the very end. During the same week, Matthew Cheung and Isaac Lam topped the leaderboard after two qualifying rounds at the Qualifying Tournament to secure starting places in the highly anticipated Hong Kong Open. Cheung shot a brilliant 63 in round 1 and finished in a total of 131, 7 shots less than secondplaced Lam, whose rounds of 66 and 72 left him with a twoshot lead over third-placed Derek Fung.
Hosted by the Hong Kong Golf Club, the Hong Kong Open will continue to play a decisive role in shaping the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit as it is one of the last few remaining events on the Tour schedule. Major Champion Henrik Stenson has confirmed he will make his debut at the Hong Kong Open, with the Swede set to join defending champion Aaron Rai in a star-studded field in the opening event of the European Tour’s 2020 Race to Dubai, from November 28 to December 1. Stenson became the first male Scandinavian Major winner when he triumphed in the 145th Open at Royal Troon three years ago and will be aiming to add to his 11 European Tour wins when he tees off at the Hong Kong Golf Club for the 61st edition of the SAR’s longest-standing professional sporting event. “I’m excited to play the Hong Kong Open for the first time in my career,” said Stenson, the current World Number 37. “It’s hard to believe that I haven’t played this tournament before because I’ve always heard great things about the golf course, the city and the fans, so it’s nice to kick off my 2020 Race to Dubai season with something a little bit different.” NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 11
THE 852
PROPELLING
TO THE PRO
RANKS by Louie Chan / Image: Zachary Fu
HK Golfer talks to Terrence Ng, Hong Kong’s leading amateur golfer, about his preparation leading up to the 2019 Hong Kong Open at the end of this month.
HK Golfer: With less than a month to go, how’s your preparation going for the Hong Kong Open? Terrence Ng: I registered for the First Qualifying Stage of All Thailand Golf Tour Q-School in the first week of November then I will come back to compete at the Hong Kong Open Amateur and Mid Amateur Championships in the middle of the month. I will use these two tournaments to keep my game sharp. Then I will have another two weeks to practice and play at Fanling as much as I can. I am very familiar with the New Course. However, the composite course that hosts the Hong Kong Open consists of only eight holes from the New Course. I believe that the ten holes from the Eden Course will very decisive for the players to shoot low scores. I plan to gain more experience on the Eden course prior to the tournament.
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HKG: Do you think you can fully utilise the home course advantage? TN: For local players, I think our most significant advantages are the understandings of the green elevation and where not to miss around the greens. We also know how to read the break and grain of the greens at Fanling. I have seen world-class players such as Sergio Garcia struggle a lot on the greens in the past two years. However, the course setup for the Hong Kong Open is different from how we play at the amateur tournaments. The rough will be much longer, and the green will be much faster. Tour pros get used to these setups every week, so, this could also be a disadvantage for me. HKG: Have you set any goals for yourself? TN: Any player is going to say he wants to win going into a tournament, but I will say my realistic goal is to finish in the
Terrence Ng will play as an amateur for the last time in this year’s Hong Kong Open
top-40. Even though I have never made the cut in my last two attempts (2015 and 2016), I have more confidence that my game has matured enough to qualify for the weekend. HKG: This will probably be your last Hong Kong Open playing as an amateur. TN: Yes, indeed. I will turn professional after this Open, no matter what my final result is. Most of the golfers I used to play with in the same age group are either now playing the professional tour or have given up their dream. For me, it’s now or never. HKG: Your last big tournament was the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (A AC) in late September. A ny positive takeaways from that? TN: Honestly, I didn’t play well at Sheshan. It’s a very cha llenging course which ha s hosted t he World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions for more than a decade.
The fairways are narrow, and the rough is thick and sticky. Playing such a challenging course, the line between playing well and mediocre is very fine. But I was happy that I held my nerve and made the cut, and competing against the finest in the Asia-Pacific region also helped me to maintain my competitive edge. HKG: Looking back on your amateur career, who has had the most significant impact on you? TN: My dad, because he is the one who first let me touch a golf club and got me started playing when I was eight or nine. He taught me how to grip the club, how to set up, and how to hit the ball, so I really want to thank him. I also like Steve Stricker, as he and I have a similar style of game. Neither of us is particularly long, but we make up for it with our short games and putting. His putting is incredible; he can hole it from anywhere! NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 13
ASIA ACTION FLAWLESS SHIN CRUISES IN MACAU Canada’s Justin Shin won his second career PGA TOUR Series-China title in wire-towire fashion and banked the RMB378,000 winner’s cheque at the season-ending Macau Championship. Starting the day six strokes clear of China’s Zecheng Dou after opening rounds of 63-62-66, Shin continued his flawless play to card a 3-under 68. He finished at 25-under and a three-stroke victory at Caesars Golf Macau. Shin, who played a f u l l season on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2017, had been struggling with his game in China. He came into the week ranked 67th in the Order of Merit and in danger of losing his Tour card for next season. However, a putter change last month followed by two good results on the Korean Tour helped the Canadian regain his confidence. PGA TOUR Series-China Zhuang Liu 14 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
GLOBAL GLANCE TIGER TAKES ZOZO Tiger Woods played his final seven holes in the inaugural ZOZO Cha mpionsh ip on Monday, October 28, completing a 3-under 67 to beat Hideki Matsuyama by three strokes and tie Sam Snead’s PGA Tour record of 82 victories at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba. The area was recently battered by Typhoon Hagibis and as the bad weather continued, more than six inches of rain fell on the course on Friday and the event had to run through to Monday. Woods bogeyed his first hole, the par-4 12th on Monday morning, but finished with birdies on the 14th and 18th to finish at 19-under. “It’s been a long week; five days at the top of the leaderboard is a long time,” said Woods. As the U.S. Presidents Cup Captain, Woods was asked about picking himself for the team. “I think the player got the captain’s attention,” he cheekily replied. Getty Images 16 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
THE TOUR
Lin Yingchun, C.T. Pan’s wife, carries her husband’s bag during the 2018 Wyndham Championship
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PAN
EXEMPLIFIES
THE BEST by Louie Chan / Images: Getty Images
C.T. Pan enjoyed a career breakthrough in 2019 following his maiden PGA Tour victory. He followed up on his dream by becoming the first Chinese Taipei golfer to qualify for the Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December. In this Q&A, Pan, who turns 27 this month, talks about his recent success, his bid to deliver another Chinese Taipei triumph at Royal Melbourne, and why he is giving back to the game through his junior golf programme.
NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 19
HK Golfer: You enjoyed your first win on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage in April. How do you hope your success will impact golf in Chinese Taipei? C.T. Pan: I really hope to see more kids being brave enough to step out of their comfort zone and head to the United States. We are encouraging kids to play more in the U.S. and also learn to speak English. I’m encouraging them to explore the U.S. college system like I did (he attended the University of Washington) which helped develop my career. HKG: How do you reset your goals after a year like 2019? CTP: After achieving that first win, I want to win at least once every season. The feeling of being in contention and winning is awesome. Having the opportunity to win comes with so many benefits - a two-year exemption, a great prize purse and the fans’ support. It’s something to savour. Winning on the PGA Tour has always been something I ’v e d r e a m e d o f . I n t h e 2 019 -2 0 season, my goal is to get into the Tour Championship (top-30 on the FedExCup points list). In the past two years, I’ve been knocking on the door, getting close; I just need to improve some aspects of my game. HKG: It’s tough to succeed on the PGA Tour, but you’ve enjoyed three solid seasons. What’s your secret? CTP: I know what I’m good at and I stick at it. During my first year on the Tour, my college coach sent me a video of Steve Stricker saying something along the lines of that when you get on Tour, there will be people telling you to change this and that to improve. However, Steve said you have to stick to what you’re good at, and not give up what you have, and remember what got you into the PGA Tour. Sometimes you see superstars, and you want to push yourself to hit it longer, and you change something. I realise I just need to play my own game and I’m never going to hit the ball 330 yards. I recognise my strengths and that’s how I play good golf. My wife Michelle also reminds me what to focus on. 20 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
C.T. Pan hopes his success on the PGA Tour will impact golf in Chinese Taipei
NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 21
C.T. Pan will be the first Chinese Taipei golfer to play in the Presidents Cup
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ROYAL MELBOURNE IS VERY DEMANDING AS IT REQUIRES A LOT OF ACCURACY FROM OFF THE TEE AND IN THE APPROACH SHOTS, WHICH IS SOMETHING I’M GOOD AT.
HKG: Has the excitement of qualifying for your first Presidents Cup settled down? What does it all mean to you? CTP: It feels awesome. I had a good year. I didn’t play well over the past few months, but before the qualifying deadline I had three good tournaments to lock it down, especially the last one (the BMW Championship) where I played with Tiger for the first time, which was challenging, but I was able to shoot some good scores to secure my place. If you can play with Tiger and play well in his company, then you can play with anyone on any course. It gave me the confidence I needed to get onto the International Team. HKG: How has Captain Ernie Els been in the team meetings you’ve attended thus far? CTP: He’s done so much. He created a new logo and gave us our own flag to fight for, which means a lot, and you feel everyone is going to be fighting together. He has also done a lot to ensure that every player is on the same page. The logo, the flag is a big thing as it shows we are one team. That’s very important as we are so diverse, but there’s a high level of team spirit. HKG: You’ve played at Royal Melbourne a few times previously, finishing T5 in the 2014 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship and also in the Australian Masters. How will it test players? CTP: Royal Melbourne is very demanding as it requires a lot of accuracy from off the tee and in the approach shots, which is something I’m good at. There are spots you don’t want to miss, and I’ve played there often enough to know some of the pin positions. More importantly, I feel I’ll be very comfortable on the course and won’t feel like a first-timer, which always helps when you are competing.
though. The world ranking is based on stroke-play tournament results and in matchplay, we know anything can happen. I feel we have good matchplay players on our team. HKG: It seems like a positive coincidence that you’ll be the first Chinese Taipei golfer to play in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, a venue where Chinese Taipei claimed a famous win at the 1972 World Cup of Golf through Lu Lianghuan and Hsieh Min-nan. CTP: That’s a pretty cool and interesting coincidence. It’ll be great to replay history and make it happen again, especially as I’m the first Chinese Taipei player to make the Presidents Cup. To have the chance to be part of history is amazing. HKG: It’s going to be sort of a double celebration as your young compatriot, C.T. Lin has also made it into the Junior Presidents Cup International Team. It must be exciting to see one of your junior golf programme kids breaking out in this manner. CTP: Lin has been attending our year-end training camps in Taipei over the past few years, and he played in our inaugural C.T. Pan Junior Championship in Texas in April. It was his first time competing in the U.S., and he played well enough to earn an invitation to another AJGA tournament in May and finished in the top-15. From there, he was offered a scholarship by the University of Washington (Pan’s alma mater). When we first met Lin at my junior camp, he didn’t have any interest in playing abroad. His family was aiming for him to go through the Asian Tour route, which is good, but I wanted our kids to have new options. We flew 10 of them to the U.S. for my tournament, and this continues to be my annual commitment towards junior development.
HKG: Who will be the favourite in Australia? CTP: If you look at the Official World Golf Ranking, the U.S. Team is the favourite, which is fine. Matchplay is different NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 23
ON THE COVER FEATURE
SWEET TWENTY-SIX by Louie Chan Images: PGA TOUR Series-China / Zhuang Liu
One day after his 26th birthday, Hong Kong’s Motin Yeung fired a final-round 67 to secure a narrow one-stroke victory at the Zhuzhou Classic.
I
n just his second event of the PGA TOUR Series-China season after playing nearly a full season on the Korn Ferr y Tou r, Mot in Yeu ng claimed his first Tour title since winning the 2018 Kunming Cha mpionship. On that Sunday at Xiangshui Bay Golf Club, the leaders’ scores were neck and neck all day before Yeung made his move on the back nine. After making the turn at 1-under, he carded birdies at the 10th and 15th and an eagle (14th) to give himself a one-stroke lead over Canada’s Peter Campbell, who already had completed his round and was in the clubhouse. Approaching the busy grandstand on the tough closing hole, Yeung, who was born in Beijing, knew he needed to get up and down for par, but was in a bunker just short of the green. His chipout settled eight feet from the cup, and he lipped in his putt. “I was so nervous before making the final putt, but nervousness is different
24 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
from fear a nd so I actua lly looked forward to it. That’s the whole reason I chose to be a professional golfer,” says Yeung, who fell to his knees in relief after the putt dropped. “That almost gave me a heart attack! The atmosphere was amazing, and there were lots of fans, so it’s good to feel what it’s like to be in contention again and be signing autographs. I’m just thrilled.” Yeung finished seventh on the Order of Merit of the PGA TOUR SeriesChina in 2018 and earned status on the Korn Ferry Tour by tying for seventh at the LECOM Suncoast Classic after the Monday, qualifying into the event. That performance earned him additional starts. He f inished the season with 147 points on the points list and lost his status. C o m i n g i nt o t h e w e e k , Ye u n g knew he needed a big performance as he looked to get back onto the path to the PGA Tour. “I don’t have great expectations, and I think that helps.
Motin Yeung lifts his trophy after winning the Zhuzhou Classic
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26 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
Motin Yeung signs autographs for fans after his victory at the Zhuzhou Classic
I always just try to do my best and play well,” notes Yeung. “The goal was to get into the second stage, and I needed to win this week, so of course it feels amazing to actually do it. It feels great to hit my target, and hopefully, there will be more good things to come.” A nd it a ll ca me together. Yeung celebrated his 26th birthday over the weekend after a one-stroke victory in the Zhuzhou Classic in Hunan Province. The Beijing-born Hongkonger secured his top-25 Order of Merit status and earned direct entry into the second stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. However, turning the clock back to July, Yeung was missing consecutive cuts on the competitive second-tier circuit of the U.S. PGA Tour. “I faced some challenges, especially in July when I wasn’t doing very well,” said Yeung by phone, when visiting his family in China. “I would say the hardest thing was the schedule. From April to August there was a tournament every week, and you can’t really afford to take many weeks off. As I wasn’t playing well, I just wanted to play as many as possible. It was physically challenging and, more importantly, mentally. At one point, I missed seven straight cuts. It was really hard to adjust - how to start over being fresh again every week.” Yeung made his PGA Tour SeriesChina breakthrough in 2018, when he won the Kunming Championship on a sponsor’s invite, having failed to make it through Q School. That secured his card on the PGA Tour Series-China and his playing status on the Korn Ferry Tour, but it was a difficult debut season. Out of 16 tournaments, he had just one top10 finish and missed ten cuts, including seven in a row. His prize money of US$25,408 and rank of 147 was not enough to help him retain his status. But those negative feelings did not last long. Yeung, who represented Duke University in the United States, knew
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Motin Yeung falls to this knees after claiming the Zhuzhou Classic
he was doing what he loved. “I love travelling and playing on the Tour with the competition, but I had no good results to show yet, but I just kept telling myself I had to keep on working and hope something good would happen. Something good did eventually happen in Zhuzhou.” The victory in Zhuzhou has given him the confidence to return to the Korn Ferry Tour, which is the main route for players to qualify for the PGA Tour. “I think my game has developed a lot - how I prepare for tournaments and maintain the health of my body and mind. I learned how to do those things better; much of it is mental preparation,” explains Yeung. “The competition at Korn Ferry is so intense that even shooting five or six under you may still miss the cut. With that kind of expectation, I push myself to shoot lower scores, and that has changed my performance on the course; I have learned to enjoy the process and to stay in the moment.”
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When asked how far he from the PGA Tour dream is, Yeung exudes confidence. “I don’t want to sound too cocky, but I believe I am pretty close to it. I have a good mental game. I want to make it through Q School and secure some status next year on Korn Ferry,” Yeung also wants to thank the HKGA for its support in the development of his golf career. “I have represented Hong Kong multiple times. I played the National Games in 2013 and 2017, the Asian Games in 2014, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2015 and the World Amateur in 2012. They were all great experiences, and I had a lot of fun travelling with my teammates. At the time, Brad Schadewitz was our coach, and I had multiple captains - Rob Keys and a couple of other good guys. I truly had a great time.”
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30 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
ALL
THAT
JAZZ by Chuah Choo Chiang / Images: Asian Tour
With a first name being a headline writer's dream and a surname twisting tongues for even for the best of sports announcers, Thai golfer Jazz Janewattananond (pronounced as Jane-wa-taar-na-non) has become one of the most talked about young and exciting talents to burst onto the golf scene in the past 12 months.
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Jazz joined the professional ranks a day before turning 15
A
ged 23, Jazz, which is a nickname given by his father who happens to be a jazz music lover, has hit more than a few high notes in winning two co-sanctioned Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour tournaments and notched ten other top-10s. He is on the cusp of breaking into the world’s top 50 – he currently lies in 57th place at the time of writing – and those who have followed his progress closely since he emerged as a wide-eyed 14 year-old kid will vouch that he has the talent, ethics and swagger, combined with a genuine, down-to-earth attitude, to be golf’s next big rock star from Asia. As a case in point, a day after securing his third and probably biggest career victory yet at the SMBC Singapore Open in January when he defeated a field which featured Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey, Jazz went straight back into the gym and practice range in his hometown of Hua Hin upon his return as he simply wanted to improve. “I got home, had dinner with my family and then went back out to practice,” recalls Jazz, whose real first name is Atiwit. Such is his single-minded dedication that the slender Thai with boyish good looks has worked his way up the world order that even Presidents Cup International Team Captain Ernie Els has taken notice. “I’ve played with him in Malaysia
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and I’m really impressed with his game; very controlled, a good putter and a great attitude,” said the Big Easy. A commendable T14 finish at the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in May where he entered the final round in T2 left American fans with the first glimpse of Jazz’s potential, as well as put many in a bind as to how to pronounce his name. Later in August, he finished two rungs outside the top8 which would have secured him an automatic place in Els’ squad to face the United States at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December. Even if the young Thai doesn’t get in as a Captain’s pick, many believe he will remain in Presidents Cup conversations for years to come. He grew up as a skinny kid whose first sporting involvement was swimming. When others outgrew and outpaced him in the pool, he tried playing football, but gave that up too as he got kicked and outmuscled. He then tried golf after his father, a Thai judge, encouraged him to hit balls. “My dad had overseas friends visiting, and they played golf. I remember getting into a buggy, and I wanted to drive, but dad told me to start hitting golf balls,” says Jazz, who now stands at 1.75m and weighs a lightweight 68kgs. “I began hitting balls when I was about eight and then started playing in one-day tournaments. I liked the competition aspect and kept going and got pretty good.”
Jazz found his winning rhythm with a first career victory at the 2017 Bangladesh Open
He wrote a slice of histor y at the 2010 A sian Tour International on home soil by becoming the youngest ever player at 14 years of age to make the halfway cut. It was after this feat that Jazz began to think about a professional golf career despite growing up in a family comprising of high achievers. “My sisters and cousins are doctors or currently studying to become doctors. There are almost ten who are doctors or judges in the family… except me. I guess I’m the weird one,” he laughs. With his parents’ blessings, Jazz joined the professional ranks a day before turning 15 and cut his teeth on the local Thai circuit and the Asian Tour. With his mother chaperoning him whenever he travelled out of country, which was a requirement by law, he found some success early on, posting ten top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour before losing his card at the end of 2016. It prompted him to spend two weeks in a Buddhist monastery where he learned to become a monk – a ritual common amongst young Thais as a mark of respect to their parents. A few months later at the 2017 Bangladesh Open, Jazz found his winning rhythm with a first career victory on the Asian Tour, and he credited his time in the monastery for the success. “I prayed and chanted every day in the temple; I felt really peaceful. Golf used to be everything, but now, I’m just happy I get to play in tournaments,” he says.
Ultimately, he dreams of joining Kiradech Aphibarnrat on the PGA Tour, but he is prepared to bide his time. “That’s my goal…hopefully in the near future,” he says. “Kiradech is my inspiration. I stayed with him at The Open last year, got close to him and practised with him. He’s the first Thai on the PGA Tour, and he always says I can do it too. A lot of young guys are playing golf now because of him; he’s like a big brother and shows me things.” Being young, Jazz aspires to be the best he can become and has no qualms about putting in the long hours at the practice range to get to his final destination. “It’s my job, my life and I enjoy it,” he says. “I’m going to do this for the rest of my life. I want to be a regular on the PGA Tour, playing there week in and week out. That’s where I want to be.” While some may have deemed his PGA Championship as a disappointment after he fell off the leaderboard with a closing 77, he took it all in his stride. “What happened is good because I’m only 23 playing in my second Major,” he told the media. “If I finished too good, I could be lazy, and I could be thinking I was a big shot. That humbled me. Now I know I need to work a lot harder.” And hard work is certainly something Jazz is not afraid of doing as he attempts to rock the world’s golfing order.
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INSIDE THE ROPE FEATURE
WE
NEED PERSONALITIES by Calvin Koh / Image: Asian Tour
Sports need personalities. The bigger, bolder, and sometimes controversial ones make sports business akin to show business.
S
ports need personalities. The bigger, bolder, and sometimes controversial ones make the sports business akin to show business. The endearing crowd and autograph-seeking fanatics are often after their favourite sports heroes. Those that will provide them with the escapism from their daily routines, charm them with their wit, antics and most importantly, talent, in the respective sporting arenas. In golf, some of them don’t come any bigger than Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Kiradech speaks from the heart and makes bold statements off and on the golf course. Unlike some of your mega superstars, often hidden behind security, agents and utterly practiced answers, Kiradech is usually ready to offer an uncensored account of his life, goals and ambitions. The 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit Champion is often ready to ‘kick ass’ each time he steps up to 34 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
the tee. He plays professional golf to fund his blingy lifestyle, which adds to his widespread appeal. Often mistaken for Asia’s John Daly, Kiradech is, however, his own man who has the swagger. He’s a big kid living out every adolescent boy’s dream. H i s g a ra ge i s l it tered w it h Porsc he s a nd Lamborghinis, while his wardrobe can hardly fill those limited edition Kayne West Yeezy sneakers. Kiradech makes no bones about his obsessions and says he needs to “play golf all around the world so that he can buy all of that stuff.” Golf needs personalities like Kiradech just as much as he needs golf. The Thai is blessed with the talent that has taken him to a career high of 29th place in the world. And we need a golfing hero who has a unique personality and play that can also transport us to a fantasy world filled with suspense, surprise, joy and hope. We don’t need staged answers or personas, we need personalities like Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
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GOLF GURU | PRO TIPS
READ
YOUR DIVOTS by Jason Kwok
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S
o many of us do most of our practicing on rubber mats so that we end up developing some very bad habits. There are significant differences between hitting shots on real grass and hitting them on mats. If you make a swing on real grass that is either very steep or one that bottoms out behind the ball, the result will be a very weak shot or even a total duff. But on a mat, the club bounces off the padded artificial turf and into the ball, so the resulting shot may not be so bad. So when you are playing on course or practicing on real grass, be sure to take a close look at your divots to identify issues with your swing. In the first image on the top of the left page, we see a deep outside in the divot.
Under that image is the type of over the top chop swing that causes it. The shot will probably be a weak slice. In the second image on the top of the left page, we see an inside out divot well behind the ball position. Below is the swing with sliding or swaying hips that created that divot. The shot will either be fat or a topped hook if you manage to flip your hands over to make contact. My suggestion is to practice your irons on grass when you can and try to make shallow even divots pointing toward or slightly left of the target. On the course, I hope you can adopt the shot routine that I have favoured for many years. As you can see on the first image above, I set up next to the ball and make
a full swing and take a good divot. Then I set up to the ball and make my actual swing, which creates a second divot, as seen on the second image above. If I’ve made two good swings, my divots should be parallel and roughly equal in length and depth, as seen in the top image above. I feel strongly that you should never take a practice swing that intentionally misses the ground and then try to take a divot on the actual shot. That type of rehearsal will do more harm than good. If you struggle with taking a consistently good divot, ask you favourite PGA instructor to help you out.
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GOLF GURU | HIGH HANDICAPPERS
DRILLS TO
SHALLOW THE CLUB
Make sure you check your shoulder mobility; you should be able to get your forearm behind your shoulder.
It’s like a pitcher throwing a baseball - you need to have good mobility in the shoulder to help you shallow the club.
by Brad Schadewitz
DRILL 1 EXAGGERATE THE FEEL OF SHALLOWING Make your backswing with a good shoulder turn. Now rotate the forearms and drop the head of the club back behind the hands. This is an exaggeration of the club, feeling more flat and getting the clubhead behind you.
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IF YOU’RE SWINGING THE CLUB OUTSIDE IN AND TOO STEEP, HERE ARE SOME DRILLS TO HELP YOU GET MORE SHALLOW. Many of the higher handicappers I see tend to get the club outside the intended path and too steep, getting into the classic over the top downswing position that everyone hates, and creating pulls with the short clubs and a slice with the driver.
DRILL 2 THE WALL DRILL Stand facing away from a wall and roughly two feet away from it using an alignment stick or simply by turning your club upside down. Swing to the top of the backswing where you just lightly touch the wall. Now in your change of direction, start to apply some pressure into your left foot while adding pressure against the wall. Relax and go back to the top and repeat this movement for around 5 reps. Hit a few shots and go back to the wall and repeat the drill.
DRILL 3 LEFT HAND BEHIND RIGHT ELBOW This is one of the best drills for creating a great feel for keeping the right elbow in and externally rotating the right shoulder. Do this drill with practice swings or while hitting little 50 yard shots. After 5 to 10 swings, then grip with both hands and hit little half shots trying to create the same feel in the right shoulder and elbow.
Swing back keeping your elbow tucked in and feeling the right shoulder externally rotating like a baseball pitcher. This is a great position to feel the club shallowing as you swing down.
Get into your set up position and take your left hand off the grip and put it under your arm with the back of the hand just above your right elbow. NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 39
GOLF GURU | SENIOR GOLFER
IMPROVING YOUR
SHOULDER TURN
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by James Stewart
A
s one gets older, our shoulder turn tends to get shorter and shorter, and thus we then lose distance and consistency. I have a simple and great exercise that can help golfers maintain their shoulder turn and improve the connection in the swing. In image one I’m in my address position and I’ve got a 4 kg medicine ball - I would suggest starting perhaps with a 2kg or 3kg medicine ball and then working up the weights from there. In image two, just like a normal golf swing, I’ve completed my backswing, however the weight of the ball has helped me turn more and also kept me connected. The ball is heavy, so it forces me to turn my shoulders and hips to complete the swing, rather than just using my arms and hands. Sometimes we think we are turning but actually we are disconnected, and the arms and hands take over, instead of turning our shoulders. In the third image, I have turned through to my follow through, keeping everything connected and together and with a proper weight transfer. After doing this exercise for a while, you should feel more shoulder turn and connection in the swing, which will result in better consistency and distance.
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THE VIEW
THE
HOLY GRAIL
OF HOI AN by David Largent / Images: Gary Lisbon
Hoiana Shores GC in Hoi An, Vietnam will most likely be that perfect course for an extensive range of players as it has all the essential qualities that make a course worth the desire to play it over and over again.
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Many ‘tropical links’ at Hoiana Shores are built entirely on sand
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he search for the perfect golf course is the holy grail of all golfers. No matter what your handicap is, every player has their own particular view of what makes a perfect golf course for them. For some, it’s natural beauty, for others it’s the challenge, or just the simplicity of the course. But generally, it is some combination of these factors that makes you want to go back out and play it over and over again. The 985-hectare, US$4 billion Hoiana complex is the most ambitious resort development ever undertaken in Vietnam. Its first operational phase, which is nearing completion, will eventually integrate more than 1,000 rooms, suites and villas (managed by the Rosewood Hotel Group), four kilometres of pristine beach, a suite of beachside pools and restaurants, a stand-alone beach club, an entertainment facility managed by the Suncity Group, and a wide array of retail outlets. In September, I had the chance to play Hoiana Shores even before it had been handed over to the Course Superintendent by the developer, and even then, it was already in perfect playing condition. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.,
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it boasts a quality design on an excellent piece of the Vietnam coastline with an open links-style layout and a stunning scenic location - a perfect combination that gives the course the feeling like it has already been there for years. I had the honour of playing with Ben Styles, Vice President of Golf for Hoiana Shores Golf Club, who is a Vietnam golf industry vetera n. This is a pa ssion for him a nd a lifetime opportunity in putting together all the experiences and best practices of any golf course anywhere in the world. “We were particularly excited to welcome our first golfers to Hoiana Shores on September 23 this year, and the Grand Opening event will take place in early 2020, in concert with the unveiling of the other Phase 1 facilities,” he notes. Until that time, the newest golf course in Vietnam - arguably the most active course development market in the world - will be available for limited ‘preview play’, whereby all proceeds from visiting golfers will be donated to local charities. Players will notice no flags flapping in the ever-present, seaside breeze at Hoiana Shores. The pins will instead be adorned with red lanterns,
Hoiana Shores has also been developed in full accordance with strict sustainability principles NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 45
Hoiana Shores has ambitions to make it a top 100 course in the world
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the likes of which illuminate Hoi An’s famous Old Town at night. “There’s a reason why it’s called The City of Lanterns,” says Styles. As we walked and played the course from the Black tees, it was an exhilarating experience to be able to have the course open up and flow naturally from hole to hole. Each fairway and hole is laid out clearly from each tee, and every hole has a playability challenge that always keeps the golfer’s mind thinking. We were fortunate to have a day when the weather was mild, but the change in wind direction and speed can make the course play differently in so many ways throughout the same round. Visually the course is a delight. Cart paths are hidden behind dunes, and off to the side, so you virtually see no carts from any tee or fairway, which leaves just the course clearly in front of you. The fairways are rolling, and the greens are smooth and challenging; from tee to green you’ll need to pay attention. After a wonderful round from the Black tees, I had a quick lunch and then played again from the Blue tees. I wanted to play the course from a different perspective to see how it played from different lengths. The tees are designed to ensure that golfers of different levels can equally enjoy the same golf course. My drives are generally around 260-280 yards, which are longer than most golfers, and the Black tees presented me with a challenge for my handicap level. I also found that the Blue tees are better suited for players who hit around 220-260 yards, which is exactly what they are designed to do. The holes continue to play just as challenging and fair from the Blue tees and are a mark of a truly well-designed golf course. Hoiana Shores has also been developed in full accordance with strict sustainability principles laid out by the UK-based GEO Foundation. “In Southeast Asia, there are no other golf developments at this stage of construction that are part of this programme,” notes GEO Executive Director Sam Thomas. “All the others are in the planning or design stage. I think it’s fair to say that if it continues on this path, Hoiana will be first past the post, and the market leader in this regard.” While the greens at Hoiana Shores are grassed with TifEagle Bermuda, all the fairways and tees feature Zeon Zoysia, a relatively new, drought-tolerant turfgrass strain specially developed to provide firm, fast conditions in equatorial regions such as this. This choice was both sustainable and strategic. Many ‘tropical links’ are built entirely on sand; several more feature the flamboyant contour associated with links golf – but few, if any, have delivered the requisite bounce and roll that links design requires. Zeon Zoysia will, which is something of a game-changer. 36 holes in one day is a lot of golf, but I would have been happy to play again the next day. So, I guess this qualifies the course as a ‘must play’ and it was pretty close to perfect for me. Give it a little more time to settle in, and it will be one of those perfect courses that you must play in Asia, and they have ambitions to make it a top 100 course in the world. In the meantime, don’t wait any longer to get over there to discover and play this beautiful gem, so you can add it to your list of perfect golf courses. To make a booking during this period until 2020, please contact Reservations@HoianaShores.com NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 47
ADVENTURE
A GRAND
NEW
LOOK by Ann Tsang Images: Courtesy of Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor
A fter six months of renovations and refurbishing, one of Indochina’s most storied grand hotels has unveiled its new look.
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affles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, one of the most iconic heritage properties in Southeast Asia, reopened its doors to guests on October 1 after a six-month closure for renovations and refurbishments. The historic property first opened its doors in 1932 with just 63 rooms, based on a plan to build five hotels throughout French Indochina. Hoteliers built the hotel to accommodate tourists visiting A ngkor Wat, the world ’s largest religious temple complex. The famous French architect Ernest Hébrard proposed the idea of a luxury hotel in Siem Reap to replace the bungalows that were no longer suitable for the burgeoning number of tourists to the area. The Grand Hotel d’Angkor takes its name from the capital city of the ancient Khmer Empire, which r u led much of Sout hea st Asia from 802 to 1431. The strong historical inf luence of the Khmer Empire inspired an ongoing fascination with the Khmer culture into the 1900s, with Hébrard incorporating aspects of architecture, art, and furniture
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throughout the Grand Hotel d’Angkor. He also included elements of French-Colonial architectural into the design of the hotel, with strong Art Deco influences also being woven into the overall fabric of the building, such as black and white marble floors. When the hotel opened, many considered it to be very advanced for its time. The first iteration featured rooms complete with indoor plumbing and private bathrooms. Hébrard also installed a wrought iron elevator, which has remained popular among guests ever since. Upon opening, the Grand Hotel had over 60 rooms with private bathrooms, something that had previously never been seen in the region. Guests of the property could expect torch-lit Khmer dances, traditional live music, and excursions into the jungle by elephant. British author H.W. Ponder mentioned the newly built hotel in her book, Cambodian Glory, published in 1936, likening its style to grand hotels in Nice, Monte Carlo and the French Riviera.
T he ma na gement a lso prov ided it s g uests wit h a sma ll golf course for t heir entertainment. Due to such lu xuries, the Grand Hotel d’Angkor hosted many luminaries over t he ye a r s , i nc lud i n g a c tor C h a rl ie Chaplin, French President Charles de Gaulle, and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, as well as Princess Margaret and her husband Lord Snowdon. Many of those early guests also included foreign archeologists and explorers to the nearby site of Angkor Wat. Today, one hundred a nd t welve of the landmark property’s 119 rooms and suites have been fully refurbished, buttressing the intrinsic appeal of a property renowned for its classic facade, its expansive pool, and a celebrated metal and timber elevator. “In the Grand Hotel, we are custodians of an incredible historical asset,” says Oliver Dudler, Raff les Cambodia Cluster General M a n a g er. “ T he c a re f u l re s tor at ion a nd refurbishments will enhance guest comfort by of fering new modern a menities while
staying true to our longstanding heritage and classically elegant ambience.” Among the contemporary touches, spotlights have been added to brighten up the rooms, and power ports and USB charging stations have been fitted. The French windows, which swing open to views of either charming street scenes or the plantation-style grounds of the hotel, have been upgraded, and each room now has a writing desk and a vintage rotary telephone, thanks in part to the added floor space created by removing cabinets and replacing them with built-in wardrobes. The greatest makeover is to the bathrooms, with all-new Italian tiling and fixtures, and separate rain showers. The main difference that returning guests will notice upon arrival is that the façade and the entire exterior of the hotel are now painted alabaster white, rather than its former creambeige hue which is the colour of Royal Khmer architecture across the country. T he hot e l ’s E le ph a nt B a r, r e now ne d
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for its celebrity patrons, retains the air of a bygone era. Contractors David Grace Designs have brightened up the Café d’Angkor, while refurbishing the interior design in the conservatory, famed for its afternoon teas and baby grand piano. Meanwhile, a new signature restaurant, named ‘1932’, stands poised and polished, ready for its official launch in November. The biggest structural addition to the property is the complete renovation of the outdoor Apsara Terrace, where Khmer performances are enacted, into a new MICE and banquets venue to be called the ‘Raff les Marquee’. With Angkorian boundary stones of laterite, and surrounded by lush gardens, the new canvas-roofed centre aims to meet the growing luxury MICE business demand. The property, along with its sister heritage hotel, Le Royal, in Phnom Penh, was taken over by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International in 1997 at the invitation of Cambodia’s King Sihanouk. The Siem Reap resort’s reopening comes two months after Raffles reopened its flagship hotel in Singapore following a two-year closure for renovations. Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor in Siem Reap and its sister Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh are part of the Raffles Hotel group which launched in Singapore in 1887. For reservations or enquiries to Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, call +855 23 982 598 or email bookus.siemreap@raffles.com. Rooms at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor start at US$230 per night.
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ACCELERATE
A MAGIC CARPET
RIDE TO
THE PAST by Michael Wan / Images: S Lee
Imagine you are at a buffet in a five-star hotel and there is all the food you want to eat, or put it in another way, your Mum takes you to your favourite sweet shop and you are allowed to buy all the sweets you wish. This is the feeling I get whenever I go to the Goodwood Revival. Even months before the event starts, I already think about how to dress and what to see and do when I am there…
T
he Goodwood Revival is now a world famous three-day festival of classic car motor racing and much more. Even if you are not a car lover, you will surely love the atmosphere. Well over 100,000 people flock from across the globe to attend this weekend of festivities. My first piece of advice is to book your hotel at least nine months ahead or you could find yourself without any nearby accommodation. We all know how much the Brits like to dress up on special occasions, and at the Revival, it would be odd not to dress up. From Teddy Boys and rock n’ roll stars to naughty nuns with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths, everyone tries to dress to impress. If you are like me – somewhat more reserved - you could dress as a British gentleman in tweed, wear a vintage army uniform or just throw on some dungarees to look like a
mechanic. As long as you look and dress in vintage mode, you’ll blend in with the rest of the crowd. When I attended the Revival for the first time, it felt as if I had gone back in time at least 50 or more years. The Revival is mainly composed of two areas; the Motor Circuit and Over the Road. The former, as the name suggests, is where all the racing happens. If you buy additional grandstand tickets, you can gain access to the various grandstands where you can watch the motor racing taking place over the three days. However, if you don’t, you can still watch the races on the lawn surrounding the grandstands, but the view is obviously not as good. I, myself, am not a big motor racing fan, but it’s fascinating to watch classic cars race each other; it’s very different to Formula One. For me, the race to watch is the Kinrara Trophy because most of these NOV 2019 | HK GOLFER 55
Aston Martin DB3S
cars are extremely rare and expensive. As a classic car enthusiast, it is always mind blowing to see cars such as a Ferrari 250 GT SWB or an Aston Martin DB4 GT in a hardcore motor race. Another reason that I enjoy watching classic car racing is that even though the cars might not be fast in comparison to modern racing cars, but the anticipation of a car spinning off the track or the leading car being overtaken is exciting enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. The noise from the cars zooming past actually gives me goose bumps. On Sunday, my friends raced their Bizzaraini-Chevrolet P538 in the Whitsun Trophy. This is the fastest race in Goodwood. Be sure to have access to the paddocks where you can get very close to those rare cars and Instagram to your heart’s content. One of the cars not be missed this year was a 49 FXN, a low drag lightweight Jaguar E-Type which competed in the RAC TT Celebration. It is one of only two originals, making it exceptionally rare. If you are lucky like me, the owners might let you sit in their cars as I did in a red Ferrari 250 GT SWB thanks to DK Engineering. People are generally friendly and therefore, you can have a chit-chat with the owners or their racing drivers. There is another paddock close-by where the children’s vintage pedal cars are kept when they are not racing at the Settrington Cup (247 yards). These children take their racing seriously too! The Earls Court Motor Show pays tribute to the London Motor Shows of the 1950s and ‘60s. The displays vary and this year, there was a stunning selection of both modern and classic cars displayed by Aston Martin, Maserati, MINI and Ford. As a fan of Aston Martin, I was glad to be able to chat to them about 56 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
their continuation projects. One such example on display was a brand new DB4 GT Zagato Continuation. In the vicinity was also a ‘Best of British’ display with icons such as a very early Defender and a McLaren F1. On the other side, was the Earls Court Studios where Sky Cinema presented a selection of live sets to recreate some of the moments of iconic films such as ‘The Italian Job’, released 50 years ago. During the Revival, there are always special parades to celebrate past events. This year, the ‘Sixty Years of the Mini’ parade took place on Friday and Saturday morning but unfortunately, I missed both events. More than 150 examples of this British icon drove around the track and were later spread out over the Revival grounds for close-up viewing. Another parade was the Commemoration of D-Day to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Normandy landings, which consisted of an impressive line-up of Allied military vehicles from World War II including armoured cars, amphibious vehicles, motorcycles and tanks. If at any time you want to take a short break away from cars, why not go rock n’ roll dancing in the tent, sip champagne on the lawn or have a pint of bitter in one of the pubs. There are also plenty of choices of food from sausages while on the move to having a sit-down lunch at Palm Court, which this year featured a vintage fashion show. Each day there is also a Best Dressed competition. In case, you can’t get a table at Palm Court, I would suggest trying your luck at the Goodwood Hotel and if you are still unlucky, at least you can enjoy the experience of being chauffeured in a vintage car to and from the property. For
Morgan 3-Wheeler
me, the ride is definitely a must! Depending on your age, it may bring back a lot of happy memories, otherwise just sit back and enjoy the experience of going back in time. The Bonhams Auction is another must-attend event for classic car enthusiasts. Every year, there is an interesting selection of cars and automotive memorabilia up for auction. Personally, I was drawn to an Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior and an Aston Martin Vanquish S, but there were many other exciting cars such as a vintage Bugatti waiting for the lucky bidder. Outside Bonhams, there were other car companies showcasing their products such as Morgan with their 3-Wheeler and David Brown with its bespoke resto-classic MINI. Nearby was also a hidden gem - the car park reserved for participants who drove their classic cars to the event. One could literally spend hours just looking at those vehicles. As I mentioned earlier, there is a plethora of activities on offer at the Revival. The ladies can get a hair-do at Betty’s Salon, vintage style of course, while the gentlemen can smoke a Cuban cigar at Robusto House. Your nose will guide you there. If you like shopping or even just window shopping, there are plenty of stores that sell all kinds of vintage clothing and accessories including hats, cravats and even faux-vintage lingerie. There are also shops that offer all things related to cars including parts, manuals, auto couture, pictures, badges and not least, classic cars. You can literally shop ‘til you drop! The Revival is very much a family occasion and at ‘Over the Road’, there is a Revival playground with a carousel and a helter skelter, plus other activities to amuse your kids. If you get tired,
Yours truly getting into character
The spectators watch eagerly as some of the classics are put through their paces
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sit back on a deck chair and watch a film at the Revival Cinema. Back at the Motor Circuit and after you go through the tunnel and under the race track, you can walk towards the airfield to check out a gathering of vintage flying machines. During the Second World War, the RAF Westhampnett fighter base was built on the Goodwood Estate. Every year, the ‘Freddy March Spirit of Aviation’ puts together a concours d’elegance and this year was no less impressive as there was a great selection of early fighter bombers, light aircraft and famous W WII fighter planes. I highly recommend going there and if you arrive at around 8:00am each morning, there is a dramatic Dawn Patrol air display by a trio of stunning fighters including a 1943 Supermarine Spitfire MK IX to remind us of this chapter in Goodwood’s wartime history. Whether you are with your family or in my case, with my friends from Hong Kong, you are guaranteed to have a fabulous time. Some say that there is too much to see and not enough time; I tend to agree and if even if you arrive at 7:30am and stay until the day ends at 7:30pm, you will likely still feel that you want to stay a little longer. I suppose that is probably why I always look forward to going back to the Revival.
Clockwise from top: No. 33, a Lister Jaguar also known as a “Knobbly” An exquisite lineup of Ferraris poking their noses out of their stable One of many vintage aircraft on display Family fun around beach huts The contours of the Bizzarrini-Chevrolet P538 Teddy boys’ toys A group of of revellers dressed to impress
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SPOTLIGHT
A
DIAGNOSIS
FOR LIFE by Ann Tsang / Images: Zachary Fu Special thanks to the Hong Kong Golf Club
Dr. Walton Li Wai-tat established the Department of Ophthalmology at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital (HKSH) in 1980. Today, he is Chairman of the Board of Directors and Medical Superintendent of the HKSH, continuing the distinguished legacy of a family of doctors that many refer to as the ‘Li dynasty of medicine’ in Hong Kong’s history. Dr. Li talks to HK Golfer about his life’s work, the training programmes at the HKSH, his brush with cancer, and his passion for golf.
I
t is no surprise that people in the know refer to a family of doctors in Hong Kong’s medical history as the ‘Li Dynasty of Medicine’, given this particular family’s collective achievements in the field. Sitting in his office high atop Happy Valley, in a pristine white coat, Dr. Walton Li bears the responsibility of maintaining his family’s reputation. As Chairman of the Board of Directors and Medical Superintendent of the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital (HKSH), under his leadership, the HKSH has evolved into the most prestigious private hospita l in Hong Kong with new medica l technologies, state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure, and a level of patient care which comes from the heart. Dr. Li’s uncle, Dr Li Shu-fan, his uncle, was a renowned surgeon and physician who served as personal medical advisor to Dr Sun Yat-sen and the first Minister of Health of Dr Sun’s government in 1912. A native of Taishan in western Guangdong province, Dr Li Shu-fan spent a few years in America at a young age before returning to Hong Kong to join the anti-Manchu revolutionary movement led by Dr Sun.
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Returning to Hong Kong in 1905, Dr Li Shu-fan joined the Tongmenghui (Revolutionary Alliance) and enrolled at the Hong Kong College of Medicine (later incorporated into the Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong) where he graduated in 1908. He then further studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and upon his return, he served the provisional government as its first Minister of Health, upon the invitation of Dr. Sun, President of the provisional government. In the early 1920s, he became Dean of the Kung Yee University Medical School in Canton before returning to Hong Kong in 1926 to become the Superintendent and Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Yeung Wo Nursing Home, which was established in 1922 in Happy Valley with only 28 beds. Dr Li led Yeung Wo through the difficult years, renaming it the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, rebuilding and reorganising it into a new medical facility, and transforming it from a nursing home into a modern medical centre and quality health care provider in Hong Kong during his long tenure.
Dr. Li prepares for a round with his son Brian Li
After 40 years at the helm of HKSH, Dr Li Shu-fan passed away in 1966, and was succeeded by his brother, Dr. Li Shu-pui, Dr. Walton Li’s father. As Chairman of the Board of Directors and Medical Superintendent of the Hospital for the next 40 years, Dr. Li Shu-pui, a medical doctor specialising in otorhinolaryngology, continued the expansion and development of HKSH by introducing innovative medical technologies, adding new blocks and services, and consolidating HKSH’s reputation as the premiere private hospital in Hong Kong. He passed away at the age of 102 in 2005 and was succeeded by his youngest son, Dr Walton Li. HK Golfer: When did you first become interested in medicine? WL: Actually my first interest was in Chemistry as I was very inspired by my teacher at Cambridge, and I went on to study chemistry at the University of Southern California, from where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science. But I found the theory to be a bit too much for me, so then I decided I wanted to become a missionary, so I pursued medical training at the School of Medicine at UCLA, where I obtained a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1974. During that time, one of my fellow students talked about committing suicide, which led me to be interested in psychiatry, but I didn’t do very well. I did however exceed
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in gynaecology, however my uncle didn’t think that was the best path for me. Then I met a Professor of Ophthalmology who became my idol and who led me to pursue that. I really enjoyed (and still do) the surgery aspect; it’s almost like art – when you successfully complete an operation, you have this feeling of ecstasy and achievement. Everything is under your control – like playing golf, it’s all about technique and skill, your hand and your judgment. HKG: So when did you start playing golf? WL: I was working at a VA (Veteran Affairs) psychiatric hospital in Los Angeles, where they had a pitch and putt course set up, and so I started to play with some of the patients. Then I came across a shop down the street which was offering packages of seven lessons for a very reasonable price. Back in those days, it was much easier to access courses, so I went once a week. I found it to be a great distraction, a stress reliever, and a perfect way to spend a few hours. It was also a very sociable experience as the people were very friendly. I have now been playing for more than 30 years; I continued to play during the time I had cancer. HKG: You fought cancer and came through. What do you think are the biggest issues facing cancer patients? WL: When I had cancer, I had this dark shadow hanging over me. Approximately half of cases can be cured or controlled,
but when you know it has gone beyond or it is terminal, then the biggest issue is fear – not only for the patient, but for their family members. It’s a huge battle to fight, as something has invaded your body, so we as doctors have to help to fight that battle with the most positive attitude possible. We need to help to minimise the fear and pain, so that patients can go with dignity rather than anger or other negative feelings. Incidentally, my wife Ava (Kwong) is the Founder and Chairperson of the Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry. She was Assistant Dean at the University of Hong Kong from 2013 to 2018 and is the first woman to be a Council Member of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong. HKG: Going back to golf. Do you encourage the playing of the sport among your colleagues? WL: Yes of course! Every Wednesday, there is a group of 24 doctors who play together. We started in the 1980s. Not only is it a stress-relieving activity, it’s also great for social bonding and finding good playing partners. HKG: How often do you play? WL: Around three times a week. Not only do I play with my colleagues on Wednesdays, I also play with my son Brian on a regular basis. It’s a binding thing which makes us see each other regularly and really have a good time as family.
H KG : It appe a rs t hat determ ined to ma ke HK SH a comprehensive medical institution serving the local community with better quality service and excellent care. You have been introducing new medical services and technology, training the best and brightest, and employing the most qualified and experienced to make every patient feel satisfied from the day of registration to the day of discharge. WL: Yes. Currently the departments and centres at HKSH include Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Haematology, Nephrology, Paediatrics, Respiratory Medicine, Women’s Health and Obstetrics, Surgery, Anaesthesiology, Medicine, Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Physiotherapy, Cardiology, and Clinical Psychology. I want the HKSH to provide ‘whole-person care’ and a ‘Total Patient Experience’. In 1997, together with Professor S. P. Chow, we initiated a programme to enable HKU medical students to be attached to the HKSH for surgical and medical training to familiarise them with medical practises in the private sector. The programme initially had an annual intake of over 100 students and is still going strong today. I want to achieve the goal of making HKSH an even more excellent and comprehensive medical centre through research, collaboration and most importantly, training programmes for doctors and nurses. The better you train the next generation of doctors and nurses, the better it is for medical care and services for our patients in the future.
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WATCH IT
A GLOBAL
PARTNERSHIP Images: Courtesy of Rolex
Golf has come a long way since its origins on the windswept dunes of Scotland’s east coast some seven centuries ago. The game is believed to have first been played at St Andrews around 1400 AD, while The Old Course at Musselburgh Links, near Edinburgh, is widely accepted to be one of the oldest in the world. Mary, Queen of Scots, reputedly played the course in 1567, taking a somewhat different stance towards the game than her great-great grandfather, King James II, who banned golf in 1457 because the country’s young archers were practising their swing rather than their aim.
M
usselburgh no longer hosts The Open, golf ’s oldest Major cha mpionship – although it did so six times between 1874 and 1889 – but links golf, especially at St. Andrews, remains at the heart of the sport, as does the game’s most fervent supporter, Rolex. From historic St Andrews, overlooking the slate expanse of the North Sea, to the azalea-lined Augusta National Golf Club, in Georgia, U.S.A, and Le Golf National in the leafy suburbs of Paris where the 2018 Ryder Cup was staged, golf has become a sport with a truly global reach. Rolex has been a key supporter in helping to deliver this ancient game to the modern age, while continuing to champion the traditional values that remain at its essence. Rolex’s enduring relationship with the game of golf began
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more than 50 years ago, in 1967, with Arnold Palmer, joined by fellow members of The Big Three, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. These legendary players changed the face of golf forever, and their partnership with Rolex marked the beginnings of a relationship based on a mutual quest for performance excellence and respect for time-honoured values. As Rolex Testimonee Rickie Fowler, says: “The game of golf has been elevated as a sport by Rolex’s long-standing support and sponsorship. My relationship with the brand began in junior and amateur golf. I have also been fortunate to call Rolex a friend and partner of mine since early in my professional career. It is a privilege to be associated with a brand that has such long-standing relationships with the greats of the game such as Arnie, Jack, Tiger and Phil.”
The Big Three: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player
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ROLEX AND GOLF HAVE A MUTUAL APPRECIATION FOR TRADITION AND HERITAGE. THE EMPHASIS THE SPORT PLACES ON ETIQUETTE AND RESPECT FOR THE RULES AND SPIRIT OF THE GAME IS SOMETHING THAT RESONATES STRONGLY WITH THE BRAND’S OWN INTRINSIC BELIEFS.
A GLOBAL SPORTING CAPITAL Rolex has enjoyed a long-standing role as the Off icial Timekeeper and Global Partner of the Presidents Cup, contested biennially by two teams of elite golfers, from the United States on one side, and all other nations outside Europe on the other. The 13th edition returns for the first time since 2011 to the cosmopolitan metropolis of Melbourne, Australia, where The Royal Melbourne Golf Club will host the competition for the third time. Considered as Australia’s sporting capital, Melbourne has hosted the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and is home to the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix and the Australian Open, the first of the year’s four Grand Slam® tennis tournaments. Tiger Woods, one of the most successful players of all time, will captain the United States Team in Melbourne in December 2019 at his ninth Presidents Cup. Woods is one of five Rolex Testimonees to have assumed that mantle, joining Fred Couples, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.
SPORTSMANSHIP & ETIQUETTE Rolex and golf have a mutual appreciation for tradition and heritage. The emphasis the sport places on etiquette and respect for the rules and spirit of the game is something that resonates strongly with the brand’s own intrinsic beliefs. The Presidents Cup has produced many memorable moments, perhaps none more so than at the 2003 tournament in Western Cape, South Africa. In a magnificent display of sportsmanship, Rolex Testimonees Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, the respective captains of the United States and International teams, agreed to share the trophy after three gruelling play-off holes between Woods and Ernie Els failed to deliver a winner. To this day, it remains the only tie in the history of the tournament. Another Rolex Testimonee Adam Scott, from Australia, enjoyed his first taste of the Presidents Cup at that historic event, recording three precious points for the Internationals, the joint second-highest total on the team. Ahead of the 2019 event, he said: “I’ve played in the last eight Presidents Cups
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and as it’s in Australia, I want to play, but especially being at Royal Melbourne, where I’ve won tournaments in the past. I’ve played a Presidents Cup there in the past, too and I have quite a knowledge of the golf course. I think I’ll be a valuable member, so I certainly have set the goal to make the 2019 team.” CALIFORNIA DREAMING In June 2019, Rolex’s involvement with golf reached the rugged granite outcroppings and small islets of California’s Pacific coast for the U.S. Open, renowned as golf’s ultimate test. Staged at a different course each year, Rolex has been intimately involved with the oldest of the three Majors played in the United States since 1980, when it partnered with the USGA, the organiser of the U.S. Open. Monterey, located along the Pacific Coast Highway, offers some of the most stunning views that North America has to offer and served as the backdrop for the 119th U.S. Open, which returned to California for the 13th time, and for a sixth time at the revered Pebble Beach Golf Links. Overlooking the azure waters of Carmel Bay to the south and framed by a vast expanse
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of the Pacific Ocean to the west, and with long, winding roads hugging the shingle strewn beaches from which the area gets its name, Pebble Beach is a showcase for the area’s natural beauty. But this idyllic setting is also where the world’s best golfers faced a severe examination of their skills during the U.S. Open. This Major is famed for presenting courses that require the greatest precision and skill from its competitors, no matter where it is held. The legendary Pebble Beach provides other unique features, including cliff-side fairways that hug the rugged coastline, wide-open vistas and small, sloping greens. The venue enjoys a rich history of producing winners of the highest calibre, including Jack Nicklaus, whose haul of 18 Major titles is unrivalled in the sport, and whose name is given to the gold medal presented to the winner of the U.S. Open; and Tiger Woods, whose 2000 win at Pebble Beach was the first step to becoming the first golfer to hold all Major titles at once, a feat now known as the “Tiger Slam”.
THE ROLEX SERIES The Rolex Series was founded in 2017 and comprises the eight most prestigious tournaments on the European Tour’s International Schedule. Featuring the highest quality golf and promoting the global spirit of the game, these events take place in traditional strongholds, such as the sparkling western coastline of Ireland and the rolling green hills of the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, along with modern oases in the Middle East. The jewel in the crown is the final event of the European Tour, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, which from 2019 offers the largest first prize in the history of golf. Set in the heart of Dubai, surrounded by desert and the burgeoning high-rise city, the tournament encapsulates Rolex’s commitment to golf and the ethos handed down by Rolex founder Hans Wildorf that permeates everything the company does to this day: remembering the past while looking to the future. Only the top 50 golfers based on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex are invited to this exclusive event, which is staged at the luxurious Jumeirah Golf Estates. In 2019, the season-long Race to Dubai features 48 tournaments spanning 31 countries, across five continents.
THE ‘FINEST PARCEL OF LAND IN THE WORLD’ Gleneagles, on the edge of the Scottish Highlands, hosted the world’s premier team event for professional women golfers in September. At the Solheim Cup, the biennial tournament contested by teams representing Europe and the United States, players set aside their individual pursuits to compete for the good of their team, for the glory of their country and continent. Rolex has a long and illustrious association with the women’s game, not only as a partner of the Solheim Cup since 1994, but as the driving force behind the first comprehensive ranking system for female golfers, the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Founded in 2006, these rankings are based on performances on the premier tours throughout the world and help decide Solheim Cup selection. In 2019, Rolex is also proud to have partnered with the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which in April featured, for the first time at the revered Augusta National Golf Club, the world’s leading female amateurs.
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Tom Watson
AN ENDURING LEGACY For a sport that can trace its history back more than half a millennium, 50 years may seem a brief period in which to build such an important relationship, but it is impossible to picture the sport as it is today without the support of Rolex. The enduring partnership is built on a perpetual commitment by both parties to quality and reliable performance, along with a pioneering spirit, foundations that define Rolex’s approach to watchmaking and all its other activities. What began as a handshake agreement with the legendary Arnold Palmer has become a multi-dimensional relationship with global benefits, highlighted by partnerships with governing bodies and organisations in five continents, including men’s and women’s Majors, events and amateur championships in the U.K., the United States, Latin America and Asia, and eight international golf federations. Rolex’s continued support for the game reflects the core principles at the heart of the brand. Inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch is the word ‘perpetual’, which also describes the brand’s support for golf, evidenced by its family of Testimonees that spans several generations, from The Big Three to the Rolex New Guard. The brand’s belief in continuous improvement, in always pushing the boundaries of what is possible and taking the long-term view, will never cease, much like the rotor in a Rolex timepiece. Over the past 50 years, Rolex has been there at golf’s most memorable moments and will be there again in more special moments to come. 70 HK GOLFER | NOV 2019
Adam Scott
Rickie Fowler
20
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THE NINETEENTH
#NOTMYPOY by Timothy Low / Image: Getty Images
Rory McIlory has been voted as the 2019 Player of the Year on the PGA Tour
T
he recent result of the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year award has coughed up its fair share of controversy and rightfully so. The PGA Tour’s super secret players ballot going the way of one Rory McIlroy. Now don’t get me wrong, Rory is one of the modern game’s greatest ambassadors - talented, likable and honest. Someone who’ll give any fan or reporter a moment of his time without question, good and bad days alike. He’s one of the golfing world’s “good guys”. Did the Ulsterman have a good year? Of course, he did! Four wins including the PLAYERS Championship, the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup. Did Brooks Koepka have a better one? Without a shadow of a doubt. The greats of the game have always measured their successes by their Major championship track records. Jack’s 18 Majors is the gold standard for every pro that tees it up. Sam Snead might’ve racked up more Tour titles, but he’s certainly not considered the greatest player of all time. The late Snead sadly
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isn’t even in the conversation with his paltry seven Majors to Jack’s and Tiger’s 18 and 15 respectively. With that in mind, let’s break down the seasons of our leading POY candidates - Koepka and McIlroy. Rory’s best finish was a tie for 8th at Pebble with one missed cut in his backyard Open in July. He hasn’t even lifted major hardware since the 2014 season. The A merican Major machine however successfully defended his Wanamaker Trophy at Bethpage and bookended his Major season with a pair of runners-up finishes at Augusta and Pebble Beach with a tie for 4th at Portrush at The Open thrown in for good measure. Toss in another two wins and Brooks has had another terrific year between the ropes. Yes, Rory may have banked more Benjamins than Brooks but there was only one clear choice for 2019’s Player of The Year. Two amazing athletes, two awesome seasons. One botched vote and one unfair result. Brooks Koepka should have won this race in a landslide. Rory you know I love you, but you’re #NotMyPOY.
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